Geoff Calkins: Memphis Tiger seniors go out with a splash

March 8, 2014 - After hitting his third consecutive three point shot Memphis' Chris Crawford (middle) is congratulated former Tiger Penny Hardaway (left) as the crowd cheers during second half action against SMU at FedExForum. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

Chris Crawford dropped in a 3-pointer from the left corner. Then he dropped in another 3-pointer from the left corner. Then he dropped in a 3-pointer from the right corner. Then he reached into the jubilant crowd and high-fived Penny Hardaway.

This is why Memphis kids stay at home and go to the University of Memphis, isn’t it?

So they can high-five their childhood heroes on Senior Day?

“Today was a great day to be a Tiger,” said Joe Jackson, speaking for the seven seniors and 18,182 merry fans. “I’m still emotional right now.”

The primary emotion was happiness because of the way everything turned out. Memphis put a wrap on its first regular season in the American Athletic Conference with a 67-58 win over SMU.

“I guess in a way it was just like the season,” said Jackson, referring to the day’s mind-bending ups and downs.

There was the emotional Senior Day ceremony, with framed jerseys and tears and cheers.

Then there was the actual start of play, and the realization that something just wasn’t right.

The four senior guards kept missing shots. They were a combined 3 of 17 at the half. Indeed, throw in David Pellom, and Memphis seniors finished the half shooting 4 of 20 from the field, and 1 of 5 from the line, to go with a whopping 10 turnovers.

So, naturally, Josh Pastner turned to Dominic Woodson. Who, naturally, grabbed the ball and went coast-to-coast for a layup that may still be causing aftershocks.

But Woodson’s bucket helped the Tigers hang in there, at the very least. As did Austin Nichols’ continued excellence.

“It started in the Temple game,” said Nichols, referring to the night he wound up with 17 and 12. “I said to myself, 'Why can’t I do that every night?’ ”

Call it the rhetorical question that changed a season, for a player and maybe a team.

Even then, the Tigers were down by four at the half. Which is when the seniors — remember them? — entered the fray.

“I was frustrated,” said Jackson. “We haven’t been playing great the last couple weeks.”

Jackson resolved that in his last half of regular-season basketball at FedExForum, he would not go quietly into the good afternoon.

“I think that’s something I have, I don’t use it enough,” said Jackson. “When I want to, I can do anything I want on the basketball court.”

Like, say, feed Nichols for an alley-oop jam to tie the game (which he did).

And then hit a 3-pointer to give Memphis the lead (which he also did).

And then rise up and hit a jumper and then hit another 3-pointer (you seeing how this went?)

Jackson scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half. It was as if the team and the seniors could finally breathe again.

Indeed, after Nichols hit a jumper at 19:19 of the half, the seniors — specifically the four guards — scored the next 22 Memphis points.

It was nice to see, honestly. Considering the pummeling they sometimes take.

“Those senior guards willed us to a win this afternoon,” said Pastner. “Those senior guards would not let us lose.”

Those senior guards have their work cut out for them. The Tigers open the American Athletic Conference tournament Thursday with a first-round game against Connecticut, which has already beaten the Tigers twice this season.

But there will be time enough to fret about that one. Saturday was a day of joy. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Arthur Barclay and Marcus Moody were among the former Tigers in the building. Joe Jackson was seen to have smiled.

It has been an eventful year for Memphis. You can slice it however you like. The Tigers went 3-5 against the best teams in the conference, which isn’t so great. But they got five wins against the AP Top 25, which is five more than they had in Pastner’s four previous years combined.

So everyone was in a fine mood after this one. Everyone was happy the seniors got to go out in style.

“To me, it was the perfect ending to the regular season,” said Jackson. “But now we’ve got a whole other season to go.”